Heat radiator and burner with adjustable connection to gas supply line

ABSTRACT

A hollow cylindrical radiator standing on end has a tubular burner extending transversely through its lower end. One end of the burner tube has a telescopic and slidably adjustable fit with a tee connector in a flexible fuel supply pipe. The stem of the tee is split to yieldably grip the end of the burner tube, and opens around the exterior of the crossmember of the tee. The end of the burner tube adjusts axially toward closing engagement with the exterior of the crossmember to adjust the air opening into the base of the tee and the end of the burner tube.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Calvin C. Plummer Box 333, Hastings,Mich. 49050 [21] Appl. No. 865,361 [22] Filed Oct. 10, 1969 [45]Patented May 25, 1971 [54} HEAT RADIATOR AND BURNER WITH ADJUSTABLECONNECTION T0 GAS SUPPLY LINE 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 126/59.5 [51] Int. Cl A0lg 13/06 [50] Field of Search126/595;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,663 11/1917 Black126/59.5UX 3,200,539 8/1965 Kelly 126/59.5X

3,451,387 6/1969 Hill 126/595 3,470,863 10/1969 Payne 126/595 OTHERREFERENCES Meyer, German App. No. 1,045,151, Pub. 11-27-58, Class126/595.

Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Attorney-Austin A. Webb ABSTRACT: Ahollow cylindrical radiator standing on end has a tubular burnerextending transversely through its lower end. One end of the burner tubehas a telescopic and slidably adjustable fit with a tee connector in aflexible fuel supply pipe. The stem of the tee is split to yieldablygrip the end of the burner tube, and opens around the exterior of thecrossmember of the tee. The end of the burner tube adjusts axiallytoward closing engagement with the exterior of the crossmember to adjustthe air opening into the base of the tee and the end of the burner tube.

HEAT RADIATOR AND BURNER WITII ADJUSTABLE CONNECTION TO GAS SUPPLY LINEDESCRIPTION The drawings, of which there is one sheet, illustrate ahighly practical and preferred form of the radiator and the connectionsbetween the burner tube and the radiator and the supply pipe.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the radiator and burner of the inventionconnected into a section of a gas supply pipe.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view on the line 2-2in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line 3-3in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a crosssectional view taken along the plane of the line 4-4 inFIG. 3.

The radiators and burners of the invention are designed for placement atspaced intervals throughout an orchard or other crop. They are suppliedwith gaseous fuel and used to protect the crop from frost damage. Fuelis supplied to the burners by one or more supply pipes from a suitablesource. In the drawings, the example of the radiator I is a generallycylindrical metal body with tapering flutes 2 on its upper end. The topof the body is loosely closed by a metal cover 3. The burner tube 4 issupported in opposed holes 5 formed in the lower end of the body. Thisraises the burner off of the ground on which the body rests. Other holes6 admit air for combustion if needed.

One end of the burner tube is clinched shut as at 7, and the other endis tapered to a flange 8 that is press fitted around the cylindricalburner tube neck 9, The tube proper has flame holes 10 located withinthe body at which the fuel is burned to heat the radiator.

Fuel is supplied to the burner through a suitable supply pipe havingsections I! connected to opposite ends of the crosspiece 12 of atee-connection l3 supplied for each radiator I. The pipe sections 11 arecommonly pieces of plastic tubing of the necessary length and weight todeliver fuel to several radiators. The base 14 of the tee-connector is acylindrical piece of tubing having a squared or perpendicularly cut endthat is welded to the side of the crosspiece 12 as at 15. One side ofthe base is slit longitudinally as at I6 to yieldably and frictionallyreceive and hold the cylindrical neck 9 of the burner tube. A nozzle 17fitted into the crosspiece of the teeconnector delivers fuel into thebase 14 and the neck 9 retained therein.

The free end of the neck 9 of the burner tube is cut on a cylindricalsurface as at I8 so as to conform to the surface of the crosspiece 12.As appears most clearly in FIG. 4, the end 18 of the neck of the burnertube may be adjusted into closely spaced relation from the crosspiece,or may be moved back to more widely spaced relation as shown by thedotted lines at 183. This adjusts the amount of air that can enter theend of the neck, and permits individual adjustment of each of severalburners for the best combustion and most economical operation of theburners and radiators.

It will be noted that the weight of the tubes 11 acting on thetee-connector assists in holding the radiator upright, and also preventsthe burner tube 4 from rotating in the holes 5.

What I claim as new is:

I. In an orchard heating system having spaced radiators with burnerstherein, and a fuel supply pipe arranged to distribute fuel to theburners, fuel connections between said pipe and said burners comprisingtee-connectors having tubular crosspieces connected in said pipe,

tubular base stems connected in abutting relation to the sides of saidcrosspieces and defining openings to the exterior of the crosspiecesbetween the abutted connections,

means forming fuel delivery passages from said crosspieces anddeliveringinto said stems, and tubular necks on said burners havingfrictionally restrained and adjustable telescopic engagement with saidstems,

the ends of said necks being conformed to fit in abutting relation tothe exterior of said crosspieces and in variably closing relation to theopenings formed between said stems and said crosspieces.

2. Fuel connections as defined in claim 1 in which said tubular necksfit within said base stems,

and said base stems are slotted longitudinally to yieldably grip thestems.

3. Fuel connections as defined in claim 2 in which said crosspieces,said stems and said necks are all cylindrical tubular elements, and oneend of said necks is conformed along a semicylindrical surface.

4. An orchard heating system as defined in claim I in which saidradiators have upright generally cylindrical bodies with opposed holesformed near their bottoms,

said burners being tubular elements closed at one nd and supported insaid holes,

said tubular necks being connected to the other ends of the tubularburners.

5. An orchard heating system as defined in claim 4 in which said burnerelements and necks and said base stems are generally cylindrical.

1. In an orchard heating system having spaced radiators with burnerstherein, and a fuel supply pipe arranged to distribute fuel to theburners, fuel connections between said pipe and said burners comprisingtee-connectors having tubular crosspieces connected in said pipe,tubular base stems connected in abutting relation to the sides of saidcrosspieces and defining openings to the exterior of the crosspiecesbetween the abutted connections, means forming fuel delivery passagesfrom said crosspieces and delivering into said stems, and tubular neckson said burners having frictionally restrained and adjustable telescopicengagement with said stems, the ends of said necks being conformed tofit in abutting relation to the exterior of said crosspieces and invariably closing relation to the openings formed between said stems andsaid crosspieces.
 2. Fuel connections as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid tubular necks fit within said base stems, and said base stems areslotted longitudinally to yieldably grip the stems.
 3. Fuel connectionsas defined in claim 2 in which said crosspieces, said stems and saidnecks are all cylindrical tubular elements, and one end of said necks isconformed along a semicylindrical surface.
 4. An orchard heating systemas defined in claim 1 in which said radiators have upright generallycylindrical bodies with opposed holes formed near their bottoms, saidburners being tubular elements closed at one nd and supported in saidholes, said tubular necks being connected to the other ends of thetubular burners.
 5. An orchard heating system as defined in claim 4 inwhich said burner elements and necks and said base stems are generallycylindrical.